PITTSBURGH - The Pittsburgh Pirates offered contracts to all their arbitration-eligible players, including right-hander Josh Fogg and utilityman Rob Mackowiak, who are eligible for the first time.

First baseman Daryle Ward avoided arbitration by agreeing to a $950,000, one-year contract early Tuesday. Ward, 29, hit 15 home runs and had 57 RBIs in 79 games last season.

The Pirates also offered contracts to shortstop Jack Wilson, first baseman-outfielder Craig Wilson, right-hander Kip Wells and reliever Brian Meadows.

The club has discussed a multiyear contract with Jack Wilson, who became the first Pirates player since Dave Parker in 1977 to get 200 or more hits in a season. Wilson was awarded $1.85 million in arbitration last winter and would likely more than double that if he were to go to arbitration again.

Players can file for arbitration Jan. 5, with the club and the player exchanging figures Jan. 18. If a case go to arbitration, the arbitrator will choose either the player's figure or the club's.

Slippery Rock University football players Brian Godfrey and Josh Kniess have earned All-America honors from DrFootball.com.Godfrey was named second team All-America at nose guard. He had 36 tackles, 6½ tackles for loss, three quarterback sacks and a fumble recovery.Kniess, a Slippery Rock High School graduate, received honorable-mention honors as a return specialist. He led the PSAC and was ranked third nationally in punt returns with an 18.8-yard average and three touchdowns. He also rushed for 1,183 yards and 13 touchdowns.

NEW YORK - It looks as if the Bowl Championship Series is headed for another major overhaul.The Associated Press has told the BCS to stop using its college football poll to determine which teams play for the national title and in the most prestigious bowl games.Since the BCS was implemented in 1998 by officials from the Big East, Big 12, Big Ten, Atlantic Coast Conference, Pac-10, Southeastern Conference and Notre Dame, the formula it uses to rank teams has been tweaked almost every year. But the AP poll and the ESPN/USA Today coaches poll have always been an integral part.The AP said such use was never sanctioned and had reached the point where it threatened to undermine the independence and integrity of the poll.The AP sent BCS coordinator Kevin Weiberg a cease-and-desist letter, dated Dec. 21, stating that use of the poll is unlawful and harms the AP's reputation.